Today, the fusion community is awash with ideas for more practical machines. Novel technologies, such as high-temperature superconductors, can reduce the size, complexity, cost, and efficiency of fusion reactors. Better yet, decades of slow progress have reached a tipping point, with fusion researchers now experienced enough to design plasma experiments that almost precisely match predictions.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been critical in advancing fusion research. AI has been used to optimise designs and streamline the development of complex fusion machines, drawing on plasma physics principles that govern fusion processes. Advanced computer hardware and software have accelerated the design process, making it more efficient and responsive to the changing challenges of fusion research.